Persona
by Carnellia
Summary: Even monsters need love, because human emotions make it impossible otherwise. Riren, futuristic slight mecha AU.


**So I was obsessed over SnK for a few months now, and I happened to read a prompt/very short oneshot up on a Korean blog. I don't remember its name or the author, I just remembered that it was exactly the sort of AU that I really loved. But i was really sad because she wasnt going to make it into a multichapter fic, and i decided to write it myself. So I took part of the plot from there, and this deviated from that. My credits for the general idea goes to..well I actually don't know who it was.. Hmm.**

**Original was JeanEren? This was supposed to be JeanEren too but I couldn't resist Rirennnnnnn hnngh. **

* * *

He was late to class. For the first time in all his twenty-three years of life, Levi was actually late to class.

Late, because his roommates had held him up with multiple meaningless questions about a humanlike android currently being developed in his department, Biotechnology.

Levi had heard of the rumor that the top scientists of Saint Maria Science Institution's Biotechnology and Robotics department had come together with the Computer Technology department on a massive project to create a lifelike robot, so human it could not be distinguished apart from actual as a student had not been able to confirm any of the stories about his department, and brushed it off as just another of those gossips constantly flowing around the school.

"Levi!"

An annoying voice yelled out his name, and he turned towards it, but not before thinking darkly that he would kill the owner of the voice later.

"What. Is. It. Hanji?" Levi ground out each word at a young woman with dark hair tied back in a lazy ponytail, staring at him through thick glasses.

Hanji said in an excited tone,"You know that android they've been developing over at our department? Well, I heard thatー"

Levi cut her off sharply."Okay, it's that crap about the robot or android or whatever, I don't need to hear it. Catch you in class later. I'm late, not to mention that you are too."He speed-walked towards the classroom at the end of the hall and opened the door, leaving Hanji to stutter after him with a disappointed look.

He nodded curtly at the professor in a gesture of apology, and sat down at his desk. Curious eyes followed him for a moment, wondering why Levi out of all these people were late, but soon went back to staring into their own books again. He ignored the instructor's continuous blabber about how the new technology allowed metal limbs to be attatched to nerves so they worked near flawlessly like an actual hand and stared out the window.

All these rumors, they were starting to make him really tired. It was obvious, Levi thought, that it was impossible to make an android that could not be told apart from humans. The law that was passed a few decades ago prevented that.

Androids, to keep them from overriding their human owners, must not have emotion or personality, and can only follow orders given by their owners. Only the ability to distinguish right from wrong is given, and they cannot think for themselves.

These laws had been passed after an escort android had killed its owner after the man had poured water on it, complaining about its unsatisfactory service. The android had immediately been removed and destroyed, and new laws had been passed. Old models, the kind with its own personality, had been rounded up and thrown into a pile of junk metal. Now, sixty years later, the humanoid robots in existence were mindless computer programs with a metal body, made to fulfill people's daily needs, or in some cases, operate surgery or tutor young children.

To imagine of an android that surpassed the boundaries of such laws was unthinkable. No one had dared to make a single personality program after the android murder incident. And it had stayed that way for sixty years, and would continue to do so.

* * *

Students looked at each other, surprised, as the bell signaling announcements rang. Usually no announcements were given out at this time due to students taking tests or engaging in a difficult lab. A woman's voice sounded from the intercoms and echoed through the classrooms.

"All professors from Biotechnology, Robotics, and Computer Technology, please report to the multi-purpose room with your students at this time. Please report to the MPR with your class as soon as possible." the buzzing of the microphone signalled the end of announcements.

Levi looked towards the professor, but he looked as bewildered as Levi and his other classmates felt. So none of the teachers were informed of this.

They rushed out of the classroom, other classes pouring of of their rooms. Levi met Hanji's eyes, and she shrugged. He raised his eyebrows and started to walk through the crowd. When he reached Hanji, he asked,"What is this about?"

She frowned at him. "I have no idea. You think it's about the time I sneaked in to the lab room and accidentally melted down a whole table?" she looked worried."Oh hell, if it is, I'm so busted." She grinned suddenly."but it was worth it. I didn't know combinations of those chemicals was so strongly acidic.."

"Whatever it is, I'm sure it's not about that dumb incident. Everyone knows it's you. Who does those stupid ' experiments' but you?" Ignoring Hanji's indignant protests, he turned and started to walk down the hall.

"H-hey, wait!" Hanji ran to catch up with his strides, and asked,"But really, what's this all about? What do you think, Levi?"

"Probably to shut up that rumor about androids or robots or terminator likeness or whatever. But if they are, they're being stupid. It just reinforces its truth value." They reached the MPR, where students milled around in groups, each speculating about the reasons for calling them all out.

Levi and Hanji joined their own group of friends. Petra, a young girl with orange-brown hair, lit her face up with a smile and greeted them. "Oh hey, I thought you guys had gone off somewhere to another group."

"Nah, Levi here is just too antiㅡ"

Hanji's words were cut off when the crowd went silent. Levi shot a death glare at Hanji for whatever she was going to say, and faced the raised stage at the very front of the MPR. A man stepped up to the podium and smiled at them. Erwin Smith.

Erwin Smith was the head scientist of St. Maria. A man of a clever mind, he had soon gained the trust of his other coworkers and had discovered the vaccine to a disease that had plagued the country a few years back. He was considered one of the most important persons of their country, yet it was not a secret that he did not enjoy the public attention at all.

With a small cough, Erwin started his speech. "Good morning, ladies and gentlemen, I imagine it's been a hectic morning for you so far. I apologize for any inconveniences this meeting may have caused you, but my team and I have a very important message to convey to you all." he paused, and the crowd waited with bated breath.

"As many of you know, there have been rumors circulating about us doing a collaboration project to create a perfect android, similar in all ways to a human," heads nodded up and down, and quiet murmurs of speculation could be heard. Levi only rolled his eyes. So it was that again?

"Well, ladies and gentlemen. I am here to tell you," Erwin paused, and the crowd leaned in," that the rumors are completely, irrevocably, one hundred percent, true."

That was not what anyone had been expecting. The students and professors simutaneously turned to each other and whispered, occasionally sneaking glances at the blond man standing behind the microphone. Levi only raised his eyebrows. So it was true. But it could not be the reason why they were called here.

Erwin raised his hand, and the crowd's murmurings dwindled down to a few voices here and there, quickly shushed. He spoke into the microphone again.

"The real reason we have brought you all here will be revealed in just a minute." Get on with it, Levi said silently. This is getting boring.

"We have taken enormous amounts of time, money, and skill to create the android. The top scientists of our country have gathered to contribute their knowledge to this project. The machine can eat and digest food, and run on the energy created from that food. It can produce tears and other body fluids. It generates body heat, and is basically indistinguishable from humans, except for the speed and power, and the lack of a personality, although the basic simulations of emotions are programmer in." That caught Levi's attention. An artificial being, so similar to a human, yet so different.

"We have named the project Jaeger, in honor of professors Grisha and Carla Jaeger, who have contributed greatly their vast knowledge on this subject. " Erwin gestured to a man and a woman standing behind him. Applause rang through the amptheatre, and Erwin continued as it died down.

"There is a small problem with this project. No, not a small one, a very large obstacle," his brows creased in a slight frown, and a shadow passed over his eyes. "The android will not start up."

Disbelieving shouts of,"What?" and "Are you even serious?" rang out, and the silence dissolved into chaos. Levi frowned again and turned to Hanji, who was staring at the stage with an awestruck look. He tapped her shoulder. " Are you alive, Hanji?"

She turned to him with a crazed expression."Oh my God, Levi! Think of all the neat things you could do with that android! You could use it as a spy, a secret weapon, a martial arts trainer, anything! I wonder how they created a digestive system that can convert the glucose into energy compatible with machinery? I can't believe they made something like that, do you think I'll get to study it? What if.."

He sighed. Hadn't Hanji heard the announcement? She probably had spaced out the moment the explanations ended.

Erwin coughed into the mic, but this time the crowd did not silence. He tapped the microphone, and everyone covered their ears from the screeching static.

" Silence please. That is the reason why we have called you all in today." Clearing his throat, the man continued,"We would like to give you all a chance with the android. Not only is it to attempt to start up the android, we are also doing this to find brilliant future scientists who may join us in the years to come, although there will be a reward, if you manage to succeed. We will choose the first student randomly from a drawing, and each person will get three and a half weeks to study and attempt to start it up. After the time is up, we will choose a new student, and so on, so forth." He gestured behind him, and two men wheeled in a table with a small glass bowl filled with folded pieces of paper.

The crowd brimmed with excitement. Levi looked out of the corner of his eyes at Hanji, whose eyes were sparkling behind their glasses, bulging out slightly. He didn't care for the drawing, not really. He hoped someone eager like Hanji would get it first and successfully activate the thing before he had to try.

"The honor of drawing the name goes to Professor Jaeger. Grisha, would you please draw a piece of paper?" the man with bushy hair stepped forward and reached into the bowl. After a moment, he drew out a folded paper, which he handed to Erwin.

The crowd waited with bated breath as he unfolded the note and read the name. Hanji was nearly salivating now, and Levi feared that any more bulging and her eyes would fall out of their sockets.

The man at the podium took a deep breath." Mr... Marco? Marco Bott?"

Levi inwardly snickered as Hanji visibly deflated, resembling a balloon. He patted her on the back as a tall young man with freckles walked up to the stage, and in a mock voice, comforted her. "It's alright, you'll get a try. Who else but you will be obsessed enough to pull it off?"

"B-but.. I wanted to.." she was actually crying, tears falling down her face. Petra walked over to them along with Gunther, Erd, and Auruo. " I didn't expect that. I'm kinda disappointed though, I wanted to see the android. But I guess no one can be as disappointed as Hanji though." she smiled at Hanji.

"Heh, I don't really care. Let the others do the- ack!" Blood spurted out of Auruo's mouth as he bit through his tongue, an old habit. Levi sighed and walked over to the exit where people were streaming out. "Let's go."

* * *

Hanji soon caught up to him, wailing about not being chosen. "Leviiiiiiiii... I'm so disappoooooooiiiiinntteeeeedddd... Aren't you disappointed you weren't chosen?"

"No."

"What? You're lyiiiiiiiiinnnggg. You just missed a chance of a lifetime!"

He snapped," We'll all get a damn chance, you idiot glasses. I couldn't care less, this course is hard enough without another thing to worry about anyway."

He left behind Hanji's cries of,"But what if someone finds a way to start up the system before me? I'm going to diiiiiieeeeeee..." and strode off to the cafeteria. He really hoped someone would fix the android before him.

* * *

**The title has nothing to do with a certain game ' '**

**I'm sorry if there are holes in the plot ;a; I have a sister in college but I don't actually know anything about it lol**

**All I know is that Biotechnology is the course I took in summer camp... it was interesting but hard to understand.**

**Wow.. I feel like everything I write is very rushed. Please R&R, and pointing out of mistakes is always welcomed!**


End file.
